Conduit-threader.



PATENTBD MW. 15, 1905.

C. B. RODGERfi. CONDUIT THREADERD APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 25. 1904.

ii SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FATBNT'ED AUG. 15,, 1905.

G 13.. RODGERS.

UONDUIT THREADER.

APPLICATION TILED MAR. 25. 1904;.

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lhl'o. 797, 31.57.

fipecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed March 25, 1904:. Serial No. 199,966.

To (0U who/n it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CnARLns B. Rona-mas, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bordentown, in the county of Burlington and @tate of NewJersey, have invented a new and useful Conduit-Threader, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to comluit-threaders designed especially forthreading or feeding electric wires, cables, or the like throughunderground conduits and for removing obstructing accumulations fromsewers or other mains, and has for its object to produce a comparativelysimple inexpensive device of this character which in practice willeiliciently perform its function and one which may be readily removedfrom the conduit after traveling partially through the latter.

To these ends the invention comprises the novel features of constructionand combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

lln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section of aconduit, illustrating my improved device operating therein. Fig. 2 is adetail top plan view of a portion of the device removed. Fig. 3 is aside sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the rearsection of the device. Fig. 4: is a similar view of a portion of theforward section of the device. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional plan, on anenlarged scale, of a portion of the device at the juncture of thesections. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional elevation on the line 6 6 ofFig. 3 as viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 7 is a verticalsectional elevation on the line 7 7 of Fig. t viewed in the direction ofthe arrow.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the body portion of thedevice comprises a forward primary tubular section 1 of circular form incross-section and a rear secondary solid section 2 of square or othernon-circular form in cross-section, said sections being connected by auniversal joint 3 and the rear section provided adjacent to itslongitudinal center with a universal joint 4:, whereby the device mayreadily follow the course of curved conduits.

The primary section 1, which carries at its forward end a substantiallyarrow shaped grappling member 5, is provided between its ends with apair of primary longitudinallydisposed slots or guideways 6, arranged inspaced parallel relation one in advance of the other and extendingwholly through the section transversely, and with a pair of secondaryslots or guideways 7, situated, respectively, adjacent to the forwardends of the primary slots 6 and disposed diametrically at right anglesto the latter, the secondary slots being arranged longitudinally of thesection and extended wholly through the latter transversely.

Seated, respectively, in the guideslots 6 are bearings or expandermembers 8, each comprising a pair of rcarwardly-convergent plates orsections 9, provided upon their side edges with laterally-outstandingguide-flanges 10, said plates 9 being pivoted adjacent to their rearends, for their forward ends to swing toward and from each other in adirection transversely of the body, by means of pintles 11, which alsoserve to fix the members 8 against movement longitudinally of thesection 1, said pintles terminating upon one side of the section inperforated heads constituting guide openings or eyes 12, arranged inalinement with and somewhat in rear of the secondary slots 7. Thesections 9 of-the members 8 are connected adjacent to their forward endsby means of toggle-links 13, the central pivoting-pintles lat of whichengage the guideslots 7 and terminate upon one side of the section inperforated heads 15, which receive and are fixed to an operating rod orelement 16, adapted for longitudinal reciprocation and mounted in theguide-openings 19., there being mounted upon the rod between theforemost guide 12 and the rearmost head 15 a normally expanded spring17, which bears at its ends upon said parts and serves to exert rearwardpressure upon the rod 16 for maintaining the same in normal position.

Fixed upon the rear end of the section 1 is a head-plate 18, having apair of oppositelydisposed openings 18, through one of which the rod 16passes, there being fixed upon the rear end of the red a bearing memberor plate 19, having a central opening 20 for the reception of the rearsection 2 of the body, and a foiwvardly-projecting guide arm or rod 21,adapted to work in the other of said openings 18. Attached to the heady18 is a suitable casing 22 for the reception of a pulley 23, aroundwhich is passed an operating rope or cable 2%, the flights of which passrearward through oppositelydisposed openings 25, provided in the head.

Engaged with the guide-flanges 10 of the members 8 are engaging membersor fingers 26, provided upon the front ends of supporting arms ormembers 27, disposed in pairs arranged, respectively, upon the oppositeouter edges Of'tlle bearing members 8, longitudinally of which latterthey extend, the rear ends of the arms being angularly bent inward andpivotally connected in rear of the members 8 and adapted for movementlongitudinally of the primary guide-slots 6, while the forward ends ofthe arms are bifurcated to produce hearings in which are pivotedantifriction balls or rollers 28, adapted in practice to travel,respectively, upon the outer inclined edges of the sections 9. The arms27, which together with the rollers 28 constitute feeding devices forfeeding the threader through the conduit, are adapted for longitudinalmovement within the guides 6, but are normally pressed forward thereinand into contact with the relatively fixed members 8 by means ofnormally expanded springs 29, housed within the tubular section andbearing at their rear ends upon pins or other suitable stops 30.Attention is directed to the fact that as the feeding devices moverearward in the manner hereinafter explained the spring 29 will becompressed, while at the same time the forward ends of the arms 27 willbe drawn inward toward each other, owing to engagement of the fingers 26with the inclined guideflanges 1O forthe purpose which will hereinafterappear.

Mounted for longitudinal movement or re ciprocation upon the rearsection 2 of the body is a non-rotary sleeve 31 of suitable length,provided upon its rear end with a fixed head 32, having attached theretoa casing 33, in which is journaleda pulley 34, having passed therearoundan operating rope or cable 35, the flights of which extend rearwardthrough guide-openings 36, provided in the head 32, and correspondingguide-openings 37, formed through a head-plate 38, fixed upon the rearend of the section 2. The sleeve 31 has fixed thereon in longitudinalspaced relation a pair of bearing members 39, each composed of a pair offorwardly-divergent sections 40, bearing upon their outer edgesguide-flanges 41, adapted for engagement by inturned fingers 42, carriedat the forward ends of forwardly-divergent supporting-arms 42, whichsustain at their forward ends pivoted antifriction-rollers 43 and arepivotally connected at their rear ends to suitable connecting members orcollars 44, adapted for sliding movement longitudinally of the sleeve31, whereby rearward movement of the collars will cause an inwardmovement of the forward ends of the arms 42 toward each other in themanner described in connection with the arms 27. The collars 44 arenormally pressed forward to bear upon the rear ends of the members 39 bymeans of normally expanded springs 45, the rear ends of which bear uponbearing rings or collars 46, adapted for adjustment longitudinally ofthe sleeve and to be fixed in position thereon by suitable set-screws,there being formed upon the rings or collars 46 at one side of thesection guide openings or eyes 47, through which is threaded one flightof the primary operating rope or cable 24, the terminal of the otherflight of which extends through and is knotted in rear of a perforatedhead 48, cast or otherwise fixedly associated with the forward bearingmember 39, while the terminal of one flight of the other operatingrope35 is knotted in rear of the head 32, whereby rearward traction upon theprimary operating-rope 24 will serve to move the sleeve or carrier 31,together with the mechanism carried thereby, forward upon the section 2and traction upon the secondary operating-table 35 will move the carrierrearward for the purpose which will be described later.

Provided on the members 39 and in alinement upon one side of the carrier31 is a pair of perforated guides 49, adapted to receive alongitudinally-movable operating rod or element 50, having fixed thereonand movable therewith bearing-collars 51, which encircle the sleeve 31,respectively, in advance of the connecting members or collars 44,whereby rearward movement of the rod 50 will impart a similar movementto the supporting-arms 42, which conjointly with the rollers 43constitute secondary feeding devices, the rearward movement of saiddevices being against the action of the-springs 45.

In practice when the threading device is inserted in a conduit theprimary feeding devices carried by the section 1 will be initiallycontracted transversely to conform to the diameter of the conduitcaused-by rearward movement of the supporting-arms 27 against the actionof the adjacent springs, which latter in tending to expand force therollers 28 into secure frictional engagement with the inner wall of theconduit, a similar action occurring in connection with the secondaryfeeding devices carried by the section 2 upon the entrance of the latterinto the conduit. The apparatus having been entered into the pipe andsupposing the carrier 31 to be in its forward position upon the section2, traction upon the operating-rope 35 will tend to draw the carrier andits feeding devices rearward upon the section 2, which action, owing tothe secondary devices being in engagement with the conduit-walls, willproject the front section 1 forward until the head 38 comes in contactwith the head 32, the forward movement of the section 1 being permittedby the primary engaging devices yielding through the medium of thesprings. Traction upon the primary operating-rope 24 will then move thecarrier 31 forward upon the section 2, the primary engaging devicesbeing in the meantime in engagement with the walls of the conduit andthe secondary engaging devices yielding, as before explained, to permitsaid movement. If it be desired to withdraw the apparatus from the pipe,continued traction upon the rope at will, owing to the forward end ofthe operating-rod 50 hearing on the plate 19, effect a rearward movementof the operating-rod 50 and at the same time a forward movement of therod l6,whereby the secondary feeding devices will be moved rearward, andthus contracted, while at the same time the toggle-links 13 will beacted upon for moving the forward ends of the sections 9 inward towardeach other, thus contracting the primary feeding devices and permittingthe apparatus as a whole to be readily removed from the conduit. It isapparent that owing to this construction the device may be fed forwardin a conduit until the grappling member 5 engages an obstruction in thelatter and be then readily withdrawn for removing the obstruction, itbeing understood, of course, that where the device is employed forthreading wires or the like through the conduits the said wires will beattached to the ends of the operating-ropes.

.Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- Ii. In a deviceof the class described, a sleeve or tube having slots formed in the top,bottom and sides thereof, om msitely-disposed bearing members extendinginto the top and bottom slots and connected within the tube by a pivotalpin extending through the side walls of the latter and provided withperforated heads at its outer ends, toggles connecting the forward endsof the bearingmembers and extending through the slots into the sleeve, apivotal pin eol'mecting the inner ends of said toggles and extendingthrough the slots in the sides of the sleeve, and a spring-actuated rodguided in. the )erforated heads of the pivotal pin of the bearingmembers and connected with the pivotal pin of the toggles to expand thelatter.

2. In a device of the class described, a slotted tubular sleeve, bearingmembers pivotally engaging the same, pivotally-connected links ortoggles connecting the free ends of the bearing members, spring-actuatedmeans engaging the toggles to keep the bearing members normallyexpanded, pivotally-conneeted roller-carrying arms engaging the bearingmembers and partaking of the movement of the latter, and springsengaging said pivotally-connecting arms to keep them normally expanded.

3. In a device of the class described, a slotted tubular sleeve, bearingmembers extending through the slots in the sleeve and connectedpivotally with each other and with the said sleeve, said bearing membersbeing provided with flanges at their outer edges, toggles connecting thefree ends of the bearing members,

pivotally-eonnected arms movable independ ently of the sleeve and havingroller-carrying ends engaging the flanges of the bearing members,springs bearing against the roller-carrying arms to assist in keepingsaid arms normally expanded, and means for manipulating the toggles tocollapse the free ends of the bearing members.

4:. [n a device of the class described, the combination of a tubularbody, normally inclinedv bearing members having flanges at their outeredges, longitudinally-movable pivoted springactuated arms engaging theflanges of said bearing members and guided thereby, engaging rollerscarried by said arms, springs actuating the latter to cause the rollersto travel outwardly upon the bearing members, and means for actuatingsaid roller-carrying arms against the tension of the springs to collapsethe rollercarrying ends of said arms.

5. In a device of the class described, a slotted tubular body,collapsible bearing members connected pivotally therewith and havingflanged edges, pivotally-connected longitudinally-movableroller-carrying arms engaging the flanged portions of the bearingmembers, spring means to keep the bearing mem bers and theroller-carrying arms normally expanded, and means for collapsing saidbearing members and roller-carrying arms against the tension of thesprings,

6. In a device of the class described, a tubular member or body,spring-actuated normally expanded conduit-engaging members connectedpivotally with each other within said body and capable of longitudinalmovement with relation to the latter, means for collapsing saidconduit-engaging members against the tension of the actuating-springs, anon-circular rod connected hingedly with the tubular body and having auniversal joint formed therein, a sleeve slidably connected with saidnon-circular rod, expansible conduit-engaging members connected withsaid sleeve, springs to keep said conduit-engaging members normallyexpanded, means for collapsing said conduit-engaging members against thetension of the springs, and means for exerting draft in a forwarddirection upon the body and upon the sleeve when the conduit-engagingmembers of said body or sleeve are collapsed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aliixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B. RODGERS.

W1 tnesses:

G. EVANS, (+190. H. BoN'Nr.

